The Female Voice in Modern Design, 1950-2000 at Carpenters Workshop Gallery

Part I of a two-part exhibition, ‘The Female Voice in Modern & Contemporary Design, 1950-2023,’ -celebrating women’s contributions to the world of collectible design-opened this week at Carpenters Workshop Gallery. I was honored to be asked to curate this important and didactic show, in the Gallery’s breathtaking space, which traces the achievements of women designers. CWG aims to present and advance excellence and education in contemporary design; and here, inspired by the creative milieu of the gallery, I sought to illuminate the highlights of modern design as created by women. This exhibition comes our way to remind us that where is a will, dreams come true.
Throughout the second half of the 20th century, women were the minority in the profession of design, struggling to express their creative voice within a male-dominated territory, even when making revolutionary contributions, and when standing at the forefront of experimentation and innovation. Engaged mainly in skills traditionally considered ‘feminine’ - pottery, silversmithing, textiles - only a small percentage of furniture and lighting which came to challenge boundaries and to open the path of modern design was done by professional women designers. Furthermore, much of their work was attributed to male designers. Yet, despite the significant gender imbalance and struggle for freedom, the triumph of the significant minority, which produced provocative objects that resonate with design history, has shined throughout that era.